Friday, September 7, 2012

I know I say I'm excited about every new release *grin* but this one is very special to me. I wrote this story several years ago, but I never got around to writing the final scene. I kept allowing other things to get in the way, and I am very glad it never got lost in shuffles between computers because I really love this story and these characters.

The title is meant as an allusion to Gothic, Ken Russell's film about the British Romantics. I set my story in the summer of 1816 as a little ode to my favorite authors. The tumultuous natural backdrop of "the year without a summer" seemed perfect for my two heroes and their journey.

Blurb:

Hiding in the shadows of his estate, Henry has resigned
himself to a solitary life. As a vampire, he cannot be with one he loves for
fear of destroying him, so he endures the darkness alone.

But when Tarquin, the
lover he believed he would never see again, is brought to his door on the verge
of death, he cannot turn him away. His only hope is that the love they once
shared will prove stronger than the darkness circling around them both.

Excerpt:

Henry caressed Tarquin’s
cheek and then lowered his eyes, his manner relaxing and expression opening to
him. The anguish on his face awoke a great tenderness in Tarquin, and he
stroked his friend’s hand to reassure and encourage him.

“Forgive me?” Henry said
as their eyes met again. “It is so close to sunrise. I feared you might be
toying with me. You wouldn’t believe the things I said. My first sunrise was
nightmarish.”

“Was it?” He ran one
finger over Henry’s lips, a rush of lust like none he’d ever known taking hold
of him. “Did you do wicked things?”

“Yes.” Henry’s eyes still
held questions and doubts, yet a hint of desire could be seen as well as he slanted
his head to press his lips to the heel of Tarquin’s hand.

“You are doing a wicked
thing now.” He drew Henry closer. “You are making me wait, playing hard to get
when all I want is to possess you.” He brought their lips together gently,
licking and teasing until Henry gave in to the embrace. “Oh, yes, Henry, yes.”

The kiss deepened as
Tarquin tried to touch every inch of Henry at once. When Henry struggled,
Tarquin’s appetite only increased.

“The sunrise, Tarquin.”

Tarquin stroked Henry’s
cock, delighted by the groan that slipped from his love’s lips.

Henry broke away, but once
on his feet he pulled Tarquin up as well, the swift gesture more powerful and
assertive than what he would have expected from Henry. “The bedroom then, if
nothing else will persuade you.” His eyes blazed with something Tarquin
couldn’t identify.

Henry amazed him, moving
so quickly that Tarquin wouldn’t have found him if he hadn’t already known
where Henry’s bedroom was. He stumbled up the stairs and down the hall, feeling
euphoric. The desire that had been dormant for so long blossomed as he stalked
into Henry’s bedroom.

Their eyes met as Henry
tipped up the decanter of dark liquid and drank deeply. Henry seemed now to
have a confidence Tarquin had never seen in him before. Moments earlier, he had
been timid, afraid his friend was mocking him. And now? His eyes shone with
power and lust. If this happened every morn, Tarquin might learn to love the
sunrise instead of fearing it. Henry licked his lips as he held out the bottle.

“Drink, Tarquin. What is
left in the bottle should do. I don’t want you to hurt anyone or be burdened
with memories like mine.”

Tarquin took the bottle,
but he didn’t want to drink. He wanted to make love with Henry.

Henry reached into his
breeches, unbuttoning each side with one hand as he stroked himself with the
other. “You saw how fast I am. If you don’t drink, I’ll run into the woods.
You’ll never find me.”

Threats from Henry? And
just the right one to ensure his obedience as well. Tarquin almost laughed in
sheer delight. “And never get to wrap my lips around that?” he whispered.

“I see I’ve made myself
clear.”

Tarquin tipped up the
bottle before he could change his mind. It tasted awful, unbearably bitter, but
the more he gulped the better he felt. He set the bottle on a nearby table. “I
like you this way, Henry.”

“Do you?” he asked,
stroking harder and snaking his hand around Tarquin’s neck. He gripped him with
even more aggression as Tarquin leaned in to accept his kiss, seeking the
sweetness of his ardor to dispel the bitterness of the laudanum. Their tongues
warred against each other, Henry biting Tarquin’s lip, which made him shiver as
his cock surged to full life. He nuzzled Henry’s neck and let his fingers play
over the head of his prick.

“When we were young, you
merely permitted me to touch you.” Tarquin broke away and dropped to his knees.
“To do things to you.”

“You always seduced me, in
your way.” Tarquin licked the head, then took the shaft into his mouth. Henry’s
moans gave him more pleasure than a good, hard fucking from Robert ever had. He
took Henry’s cock down his throat.

Henry thrust into his
mouth, harder each time. Tarquin pushed him back until he hit the side of the
bed and then drove him to sit on the edge, releasing him for a moment. Then he
began to caress teasingly, using light strokes and pressing his thumb gently to
the wet slit at the tip.

“Even downstairs, when
your eyes questioned me, when you wondered if I truly wanted you, you were
seducing me. I love the way it makes me feel.” He licked the shaft, nibbling
and sucking the underside, and then looked up at Henry, who was staring down at
him with need blazoned on his face. “To know you think so much of me you can
hardly believe I want you … absolutely intoxicates me.”

Henry pulled him up and
kissed him with a hunger so hot Tarquin nearly came. Keeping his eyes open
became more of a challenge. Moaning against Henry’s lips, he said, “But I could
accustom myself to this easily.” He let Henry draw him onto the bed, and they
fondled and kissed until Tarquin managed to pull away and open his eyes.

“Let me finish you,” he
whispered against Henry’s cheek.

Henry kissed him
and then reclined on the pillows. Tarquin sucked him, using his tongue over
every inch of his lover’s cock. Its hardness amazed him, and he joyed in
learning all the best places to tease and suck.